


Safe Place

by qtiphaven



Category: Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Tommyinnit needs a hug, past trauma that i may or may not get into in another fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26973496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/qtiphaven/pseuds/qtiphaven
Summary: "So there was Tommy, standing in front of the stone castle, freezing his ass off. Tommy took a deep breath and knocked on the door, not quite sure if Eret was home. He waited for Eret to answer,he’s not going to answer.letting out a deep sigh, in which he could see his breath on the air. Tommy started to wonder if he should leave, slowly backing away from the door, silently wishing Eret would answer."
Relationships: Eret & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Eret & Wilbur Soot, Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit
Comments: 29
Kudos: 810





	1. Chapter 1

Tommy stood in front of the stone castle, the cold wind stung his face. His wood sword, a downgrade from his netherite sword he once owned during his stay in L’Manburg, swings at his hip. Tommy shivers, as he’s only wearing a shirt and jean pants. He would’ve worn his L’Manburg jacket, but the thing still smells heavily of blood, whether it was his or not, he did not know. The snow was picking up around him, a thick layer covered the ground. The footprints that were once there were now covered. 

Tommy almost turned around. He was _TommyInnit_ for god's sake. He didn’t need anyones help. Even if he did, he had a list of people he would ask. Eret was not one of them. He is was a traitor. Tommy couldn’t trust him. Eret tried to kill him and the rest of L’Manburg, he almost died. _Maybe_ it would have been better if you did. 

Except… Eret was Tommy’s only hope. Tubbo was spying on Schlat, helping Pogtopia for the greater good. _He’s betraying you Tommy. He wanted the job, remember?_ Niki and Fundy were stuck in ‘Manberg’ . _They don’t care about you. Why do you think they have never visited?_ And Wilbur… Wilbur was a part of his problems. _Wilbur left you for a reason. He’s disappointed in you. ___

__So there was Tommy, standing in front of the stone castle, freezing his ass off. Tommy took a deep breath and knocked on the door, not quite sure if Eret was home. He waited for Eret to answer, _he’s not going to answer._ letting out a deep sigh, in which he could see his breath on the air. Tommy started to wonder if he should leave, slowly backing away from the door, silently wishing Eret would answer. _ _

__As Tommy turned away, he heard the heavy door open, just the slightest. He quickly turned around, the door opening fully as he did so._ _

__“Tommy?” Eret said, his voice light and almost hopeful. _He’s just going to betray you again Tommy. Leave._ Tommy quickly dismissed the voice in his head, hoping it would go away and that it was wrong. _ _

__“Eret.” Tommy quickly muttered, not wanting to say more than he had to. He feared that Eret traitor. would turn him away, tell him to deal with his own problems._ _

__Both Eret and Tommy stood there for a minute, the already heavy snow falling down faster. Finally, after what felt like an hour to Tommy, even though it was only a minute, Eret stepped out of the doorway, making a gesture to come in. Tommy galces around, making sure there was no one else inside as he walked in. _He’s going to kill you Tommy. runrurnrurnrurnrun._ He walked in, Eret closing the door behind him  
“Here,” Eret started, Tommy assumed Eret was looking him up as he was wearing his sunglasses, “I am going to get you a new pair of clothes and you can wait in the kitchen, I guess.”_ _

__As much as Tommy wanted to tell him _No, I am fine,_ the idea of clean clothes that weren’t soaked and wreaked of blood was appealing. So Tommy sat at the kitchen table, staring down at his hands. _Eret’s going to kill you Tommy. He already tried to once why not again?_ Tommy shook his head, trying to get these thoughts out of his head. He’s always had them, but since the war started, and especially now, they have gotten much much worse. _ _

__Lost in thought, Tommy didn’t see Eret come out with a sweatshirt and pants, causing him to jump, letting out a small yelp. _He could have killed you. Why didn’t he?_ If Eret wanted to say anything, he didn’t. Eret turned around, looking for something to eat, supposedly, Tommy wasn’t sure. He took this time to switch clothes, going fast as he didn’t want to Eret to see the bruises and scars that littered his body as he did not want to answer where they came from. Tommy was too slow. _He saw Tommy. He’s going to ask and you’re going to have to admit it._ _ _

__“Thats…” Eret said slowly, not wanting to scare Tommy into not telling him what happened. Tommy cut him off._ _

__“Eret.” Tommy said._ _

__“Right. I am inclined to ask what you are doing here…” Eret said, placing a box of crackers on the table along with two water bottles, one in front Tommy and one in front of him. _ItspoisonItspoisonItspoisonItspoisonItspoison._ _ _

__“I can promise you it’s not poison, Tommy. The bottle seal hasn’t even broken, you can check.” Eret said softly._ _

__“I-I said that out loud?” Tommy hardly whispered, his voice cracking._ _

__“Yeah, have been since I let you in.” Eret said, his voice was gentle, as if he was approaching a wounded animal. “Tommy, please know I won’t hurt you. I know I made the mistake once, but I could never make it again.”_ _

__“Wilburs going to blow up Manburg. On the 16th. At the festival.” Tommy said suddenly, all at once. “And, and I do not know what to do or who to trust-”_ _

__“Tommy.”_ _

__“Cause Wilbur said Tubbo and Fundy and Niki can’t help me, he keeps telling me that and I don’t want to believe him but its hard when that's all he tells you-”_ _

__“Tommy.”_ _

__“And he constantly tells me and that I am a disappointment but I-I don’t know what I’m doing wrong? Eret I miss the old him and Tubbo and Niki and -”_ _

__“ _Tommy._ ” Eret says, finally getting through to him. Tommy just now realized how hard he’s breathing and that his vision is blurred from tears that have yet to fall. He quickly wipes them away, not wanting to seem like a child in front of Eret. _ _

__“Take a deep breath okay? Then you can tell me what's happening, okay?”_ _

__Tommy takes a deep breath, as Eret instructed, but comes out shaky and fast. Eret quickly realizes that Tommy might need more help then he realized. He moved in front of Tommy, sitting on his knees as he took Tommys hands in his, hoping this would work. He demonstrated what Tommy needed to be doing, hoping he would realize to copy him. Tommy must’ve been paying attention, as he did start to copy Eret. After a while, Tommy calmed down enough to start talking._ _

__“So, I-I should probably start from the beginning,” Tommy started, his voice extremely shaky, “so, Wilbur wants to blow up Manburg, cause if he can’t have it no one can. A-and I tried to convince him that No, we can’t blow up Manberg. What about Niki, Fundy, Tubbo, and everyone else? He doesn’t care. He doesn’t care, Eret! He keeps telling me these things that I know aren’t right, but it’s hard not to believe him when it’s all he ever tells me. H-he keeps telling me there's a reason I’m not president and without him I-I’m nothing. And I am.”_ _

__Tommy didn’t like to cry, as he stated before, he was _TommyInnit. TommyInnit_ doesn’t cry, much less in front of Eret, someone who once tried to end his life at the age of **sixteen**. So why he was crying ~~sobbing~~ was not something known to him._ _


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eret questions. Tommy answers.

Eret quickly assessed the situation. He knew something was wrong when Tommy showed up at his door, as he hasn’t talked to the boy in a few months. He knew something was  _ seriously  _ wrong when Tommy showed up at his door talking to himself about things that logically made no sense. While Tommy was brash and made decisions quickly, Tommy was much more mature for his age then he should have been for a sixteen year old. Logically, Tommy should have known that Tubbo still cared for him along with Niki and Fundy. Hearing him say those things made Erets heart shatter, this… this was not the teenager that Eret once knew. Eret was aware that Tommy would change because of the war and election, as had he. He still woke up in terror, his mind trapped in time. He knew that it would affect the teen differently, he was still young,  **_sixteen._ ** Eret regrets what he did, truly.

Eret also knew who to thank for whatever was happening insides Tommy’s head. Eret was aware that he was a little unstable after the election, who wasn’t? But what Eret wasn’t aware of was how bad it had gotten. Wilbur, that  _ bastard,  _ has done something to Tommy, as no sixteen year old should be thinking like this. While Eret wouldn’t admit to this out loud, he cared for Tommy and wanted what was best for him. 

Tommy eventually calmed down, pulling out of the embrace first. His face was read instead of deathly pale and his breathing had calmed down significantly. Eret was still in front of him and stayed there, crossing his legs, not making an attempt to get up. 

“Can you talk now?” Eret asked, not pushing Tommy. Eret didn’t want to push him into not telling him anything. The  _ Wilburs going to blow up Manburg  _ phrase was particularly concerning. Tommy nodded.

“S-so,” he said, his voice rough, “Wilbur has, uh, broken,”

“Broken?” Eret questioned. He had an idea of what Tommy was saying, but he needed Tommy to confirm this before he said anything.

“He’s just kinda...lost it. He isn’t the Wilbur I know. I want my brother back, Eret.”

“I know you do Tommy, but you’re going to have to tell me what's happening so I can help you,” Eret said. He wished he didn’t have to push the younger, but he needed to know. “Look, how about you I ask you questions and you answer okay?” 

Tommy nods. Eret thinks for a moment, acting like he’s thinking of questions to ask, when in reality he already knows what he is going to ask. 

“What has he told you, specifically about you?” He needed to know what the  _ hell  _ Wilbur was doing to the poor kid.

“He’s told me… t-there was one time he told me without him I’m nothing. A-and that Tubbo doesn’t  _ actually  _ like me and he’s just a spy for Schlat. There’s a reason why I couldn’t be president.” 

Eret’s head hurts. He had already guessed Wilbur had said some... _ unkind  _ things, but the worst part was that Tommy seemed to believe it. When he spoke he didn’t meet Eret’s eyes, looking down at the ground in front of him. 

“Tommy. I am going to need you to be honest. I need to know if Wilbur has hurt you  _ physically. _ ”

“Have you checked y-your communicator recently?” Tommy asked. 

Eret looked at him, confusion clearly on his face, and grabbed the communicator from his pocket. He normally kept it muted, the thing reminded him of the war, of the final room. He turns it on and is taken aback by what he sees.

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

**_TommyInnit was slain by WilburSoot_ **

All of those had been only hours prior to Tommy showing up at Erets door. He scrolled through more, seeing the occasional chat he had missed, but between that there were perhaps  _ hundreds  _ of messages. Eret started writing a message to Dream, the admin on the server. Dream had access to kill counts and all stats. He needed to see something.

**From: The_Eret**

**To: Dream**

**send tommy’s death count.**

Not even a moment later, Eret had a new message.

**From: Dream**

**To: The_Eret**

**…**

**275**

**…**

**146 by one Wilbur.**

_ Jesus Christ,  _ was all Eret thought. He wanted to  _ fucking deck  _ Wilbur. What in God’s name was going through his head, it was obvious that he was delusional. But  _ killing a sixteen year old, who is his  _ **_brother,_ ** _ that many times is unacceptable.  _

“I said this earlier, but Wilbur plans on blowing up Manburg. There’s already TNT under the stage. He’s going to do it during Tubbo’s speech,”

“I’ll tell Quakity, okay? He’ll let Schlatt know.”

“No no no y-you can’t tell them, cause-cause if they f-find out what Wilbur was plannin’ on doing, they’d  _ kill  _ him, A-and I don’t want that to happen.”

“Tommy I’m going to have to tell someone.”

“No, no look. I,  _ we,  _ can talk to him. M-maybe if he sees that your not, y-you know, he would trust you.”

Eret remained silent.

“I know he doesn’t mean this, Eret. I think I just messed up along the way, o-or maybe I just said the wrong thing.”

“Tommy, Wilbur brought this upon himself. He let a sixteen year old fight a war. No matter how mature you are, he shouldn’t have let you,  _ hell,  _ I shouldn’t have let you. You did everything he asked.”

Tommy opened his mouth to presumably talk back to Eret, when his communicator buzzed in his pants pocket. Tommy looked at it and paled considerably. Eret gave him a questioning glance, wanting to know what was wrong. Tommy showed Eret is screen. There was a message, from Wilbur.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im tired. i dont know if wilbur is redeemable.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wilbur acts. Tubbo helps. Schlatt follows. Eret panics. Tommy fights.

Wilbur fucked up. He knew he knew he fucked up when Tommy didn’t come back to the ravine that night. The snow was piling up, the first snow storm the SMP had seen in quite some time. Tommy had said he was going to find materials, but he had yet to come back to Pogtopia.

_ Maybe he’s with Schlatt. Maybe he’s leaving you. How long did it take, two weeks?  _

“Shut up,” Wilbur mumbled, not wanting to hear the voices on his head. He was walking in the forest, not quite sure on where Tommy could have been. Wilbur hadn’t the slightest clue on what made Tommy leave. Before he had left, Wilbur had just been telling him the many ways he messed up, so what if Tommy had died a few times during the training session? He had fought a  _ war,  _ so there was no reason for him to be hurt by dying to Wilburs sword a few times. 

_ Unless you fucked him more than you. Maybe he hasn’t been telling you the truth. Maybe your a piece of shit for a brother- _

“Shut up,” Wilbur said, a little louder this time. He brought out his communicator, knowing what he needed to do.

* * *

Tubbo sat in Schlatt’s office, hunched over a stack of thick papers. Schlatt sat at the opposite end of the room, also doing paperwork. Tubbo had no idea what he was doing paperwork for nor did he know who was writing the paperwork. Schlatt did tell him that  _ ‘If anyone asks, it's business, okay?’  _ to which Tubbo had just nodded. 

It was quite late, the sun had gone down hours ago and the snow storm outside was growing worse by the minute. The office was quite warm, the fireplace in the room heating it up. Tubbo was starting to nod off when his communicator had buzzed, vibrating the desk. Tubbo slightly jumped, not expecting anyone to have been messaging him this late. He normally kept the thing turned off, not wanting Schlatt to question why he was messaging the people of Pogtopia, even though he had felt Schlatt was very aware of the spying that was going on. But, after seeing all the death messages a few hours ago, Tubbo decided that he would keep it on, just in case.

Schlatt had glanced up, sending a glance at Tubbo. He shrugged, grabbing the communicator, checking the messages. It was from Eret.

**From: The_Eret**

**To: Tubbo_**

**i need your help. at the castle. come quick**

Tubbo stood quickly, quick enough to get a little dizzy when he started walking towards the door. He knows that Eret basically tried to murder them at one point, but he knew he had regretted it. Eret had expressed that multiple times since Tubbo had been living in Manburg. 

“Where ya’ goin?” Schlatt asked, a questioning tone dripped in his voice.

“Erets. He needs help with somethin’” Tubbo answered shortly.

“Let me come with you. It’s snowing pretty hard out there.”

Tubbo said nothing and continued for the door. Soon Schlatt was behind him, walking at a brisk pace. They had to walk fast, or the snow would bury them before they could get there. 

They made it, the snow made both of their pants wet and cold, and Schlatt had given Tubbo his business jacket, not wanting the boy to catch a cold. Tubbo knocked on the door, expecting to wait a few seconds from the door to open. Instead the door opened before he even had the chance to put his arm down from knocking. Eret was there, his sunglasses still on. His mouth was in a thin line and looked extremely stressed. Eret got out of the way quickly, letting them in. Eret had left for the kitchen the minute Tubbo stepped foot through the door. Tubbo followed him, Schlatt behind him. Then he saw the reason he was asked to visit.

Tommy was sitting in a chair, hunched over. His head was in his knees and hands were in his hair. Eret was in front of him saying something Tubbo couldn’t make out. He quickly made his way over to the taller teen, Eret leaving as he approached. Tubbo got down in front of Tommy, and asked if he could touch him. Tommy had shaken his head yes. Tubbo pulls Tommy into a hug. Tommy had slid off the chair and into his arms, sobbing into Tubbos shirt. He was gripping Tubbos shirt as if it wore his life line. 

“You’re safe, okay? It’s me, it's Tubbo.”

* * *

Schlatt stood next to Eret, not quite sure on what to do. Eret was standing next to him, his face pale. When Tubbo had just left in a hurry, not bothering to tell Schlatt where he was going, he knew something was wrong. But this… was not what he was expecting. 

He did expect to come to Erets castle with a Mr. TommyInnit sobbing in a chair, looking worse for wear. 

“Eret, I’m going to need answers.”

“I know. I’ll give you the rundown.”

So Eret did. Schlatt wasn’t pleased. He checked his communicator, because  _ there was no way Wilbur could have done this.  _ He was wrong. 

“So,” Schlatt started, still having questions, “why’s he so upset now? I thought you said you got him to calm down.”

“I did. And then Wilbur decides to message him.”

“Well what does he say?”

“ _ Come back. Now. You know what happens when your late.”  _ Eret reads off of Tommy’s communicator.

“Well do you know what happens when he’s late?”

“No. But this is what happened when it was mentioned. Can’t say it’s good.”

Schlatt hummed in agreement. 

* * *

Wilbur walks down the Manburg path, knowing exactly where he was going. He had found out by process of elimination. Tubbo was most likely with Schlatt, Niki was too personally involved with Wilbur, as was Fundy. So that left one more person Tommy would even  _ think  _ to turn to. Eret. 

The message he had sent to Tommy was just to scare him. He wasn’t  _ actually  _ going to hurt him. 

_ Yes you were. You do it all the time.  _

“I just talk some sense into him, that's all.”

_ So,  _ is his inner thoughts questioned,  _ what are you going to do when you get there? _

“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll kill the son of a bitch who decided who to take my brother from me.”

_ Weren’t you the one to drive him away. _

“Of course not. Eret must've said something to him,  _ must’ve.” _

Wilbur didn’t believe himself. 

* * *

Eret jumped when the door was knocked on.

He had just been sitting there, waiting for something to do. He wanted to grab a sword, in case Wilbur decided to show up. Eret decided that grabbing a sword, or seemingly even a  _ little  _ aggressive, would send Tommy spiraling even worse. 

The boys were on the ground, Tommy had settled down quite a lot more now that Tubbo had shown up. Tubbo was still mumbling comforting words when the door was knocked on. Eret was very aware he jumped. In fact, everyone had jumped. 

Tommy had let out a small whimper, something he would deny later in his life, and pulled Tubbo closer than they already were, which Eret didn't know was possible. 

The door knocks again. Tubbo whisper’s something in Tommy’s ear, both of them stand up, Tommy leaning on Tubbo for support. They start walking up the winding stairs, presumably to a quieter place, and not around the door. As soon as they are out Erets vision, he makes his way to the door. He takes a shuddering breath before opening the door. 

“Hello Eret,” Wilbur says, uncharacteristically happy. He was smiling maniacally, something akin to fear building up Eret’s stomach. 

“What do you need, Wilbur?” Schlatt asked, who had pushed himself in front of Eret. He was glas Schlatt wasn’t as terrified as he was. After hearing the things Tommy had told him he had done to him, Eret was anxious about how Wilbur would react to him, an  _ actual  _ traitor. 

“Well, it seems my dear brother must’ve been taken by this,” Wilbur glances at him, “this traitor, so I have come to retrieve him, take him back home.”

“Wilbur,” Eret says, ignoring how his voice wavered, “we both know he came here willingly.”

“But why would he do that? He has a great life with  _ me.  _ Why would he need a traitor like you to help him. Surely there must’ve been other people he could have turned to?”

“Wilbur, I am going to ask you one time and one time only. Leave. Now.” Schlatt interrupted.

“What are you going to do if I don’t? Kill me?” Wilbur laughed, “I’ll just respawn and come back.  _ Nothing  _ you do will stop me from getting him back.”

“Tommy will just come back. He’s not going to stay with you forever, I know that, he knows that,  _ you know that. _ ” Eret says, his voice still shaking. 

Wilbur laughs. He throws his hands up, Eret flinches slightly. He doesn’t mean to, but loud men and too fast of hands only ever ment bad things in Erets life. Wilbur notices.

“Eret,” he continues to laugh, “are you  _ scared  _ of me? Where was that fear when you tried to murder us cold blood? Where was the fear when you  _ betrayed me? _ ”

“I don’t have to answer to you anymore, you are not my general,” Eret simply states. 

Wilbur opens his mouth to say something, when something catches his eye. He looks over Eret’s shoulder, his laughing ceases. 

“Tommy?”

* * *

Tubbo had practically begged him not to go down with the adults. Tommy convinced him that  _ If I’m not down there Wilbur is going to lose his shit.  _

He had heard and seen everything, Wilbur thinking he was taken, Schlatt telling him to leave, Eret flinching. Tommy couldn’t blame him, he would have as well, even before Wilbur had lost it. 

“Tommy?” Wilbur had asked, stopping his laughter.

“Wilbur,” Tommy responded. 

“Toms-”

“Don’t call me that Wilbur. You lost the right to that the minute you killed me for the hell of it,”

“What? Tommy I’m your brother,  _ remember?” _

“Is your brother supposed to kill you every time you fuck up? Beat you senseless every time you’re even just a few moments late?”

“Tommy, you know I don’t  _ actually  _ mean that. I just  _ needed  _ to make sure you wouldn’t betray me.”

“Wilbur, you fucked up.” Tommy walked closer to Wilbur, about an arms length away. Eret was behind him, Schlatt to the right. Schlatt’s hand was in his pocket, seemingly looking for something. 

“I  _ know  _ I fucked up, but I can start over! You know these people don’t care for you, they're just  _ using  _ you so they can get back at me. You know that right?”

* * *

The sound of bones breaking caught everyone's attention. Eret flinched again, the sound reminding him of his childhood. Eret quickly shook his head, looking at what just happened.

Tommy was standing above Wilbur, heavily breathing. There were tears in his eyes, angry ones. Wilbur was on the ground, cradling his nose. The nose was bleeding, his hands were covered. The bruise from the broken nose had already started to form.

“I…” Wilbur trailed off. “I’ll leave.”

And with that Wilbur got up on his feet, slightly swaying, and walked out the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank yall so much for reading it means alot <3

**Author's Note:**

> YOOOOO i wrote this in spanish class again. Shelter For the Night as been delayed.


End file.
